2021 Jeep Wrangler vs 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler maintained its iconic status with its seemingly unchanged styling over the years. Recognizable features included circular headlights, a seven-slat grille, exposed bolts and hinges, and protruding bumpers and fenders, giving it a toy truck-like appearance for adults. Depending on the trim level, the Wrangler could take on different looks with painted or exposed fenders, soft top or hardtop, and other individual styling touches, but it always retained its core elements that made it unmistakable on the road.

Inside, the Wrangler was not designed for comfort but rather for a rugged driving experience. The upright seating position, limited legroom, and somewhat awkward seat adjustments were seen as charming rather than inconvenient by the right type of driver. The trims for the 2021 Wrangler Unlimited included the Sport, Sport S, Sahara, and Rubicon, along with special editions like the Willys, 80th Anniversary, Freedom, Islander, and High Altitude.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, showcasing a distinctive look that set it apart from Volkswagen's gasoline models. It featured a streamlined profile with wheels pushed out to the corners of the body, replacing the straight lines and sharp angles of the Tiguan and Atlas crossovers. The ID.4 was part of VW’s EV-specific MEB platform and followed the European-market ID.3 hatchback.

The interior of the ID.4 blended Volkswagen’s trademark minimalism with a smartphone aesthetic, featuring piano black and matte plastic finishes. The base ID.4 Pro came with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and cloth seats, while the Pro S and 1st Edition models offered leatherette upholstery. The design aimed to provide a tech-forward experience, although some elements like the haptic touchpads were found to be unnecessarily difficult to use.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered a diverse powertrain lineup, including gas, diesel, mild-hybrid, and a Hemi V8. The standard 3.6-liter V6 produced 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Other powertrains included a mild-hybrid eTorque variant of the V6, a 270-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 with 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. All engines routed power to one of three four-wheel-drive systems: Command-Trac, Select-Trac, and Rock-Trac, with the latter featuring front-and-rear locking differentials and a disconnectable front sway bar for off-roading.

The Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid variant produced 275 hp and offered up to 22 miles of electric range. The Rubicon 392, with its 6.4-liter V8 engine, delivered 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, turning the Wrangler into an off-road supercar. The 392 also featured beefed-up frame-rails, a 2-inch lift with Fox shock absorbers, upgraded brakes, and a dual-mode performance exhaust.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 launched with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, powered by an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. It was the first rear-wheel-drive Volkswagen passenger car sold in the U.S. since the Beetle. An all-wheel-drive version with a second electric motor arrived later in 2021, boosting power to 295 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque.

The ID.4’s RWD setup provided balanced handling, while the AWD version offered increased power and traction. However, the ID.4 was tuned for comfort rather than sporty performance, with a smooth ride over bumps but noticeable body roll in corners. Unlike many EVs, the ID.4 did not offer aggressive regenerative braking for one-pedal driving, instead relying on friction brakes and coasting for efficiency.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered multiple top options, including the zipper-less Sunrider soft-top, a premium black cloth soft top, and a classic-looking tan soft top. The Freedom top was a three-piece hardtop with removable panels, available in black or body color with optional insulation. The Sky one-touch power top on the Rubicon 392 provided a convenient way to enjoy the open-air experience.

The Wrangler’s cabin was functional, with a small center console bin, glovebox, and in-door cargo nets. It featured drain plugs for easy cleaning. The Wrangler Unlimited provided 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, comparable to smaller crossovers but limited by wheel-wells and roll-bars.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 felt spacious compared to other EVs, with more front and rear headroom than competitors, although legroom was average. It offered 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, more than some EV rivals but less than gasoline crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The ID.4 did not have a frunk, prioritizing cabin space instead.

The ID.4’s interior featured a twist-grip gear selector on the dashboard, freeing up space on the center console, although the console itself was narrow and close to the floor. The cabin included heated steering wheel and front seats, which proved effective in cold weather, but the driver’s seat lacked thigh support.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport came with a basic 5-inch screen for radio and vehicle settings. The 7-inch Uconnect screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was optional on the Sport S and standard on other trims, with an 8.4-inch Uconnect screen also available. The larger screens featured crisp graphics and intuitive layouts, complemented by radio toggles on the back of the steering wheel. The Rubicon 392 included a color TFT screen in the instrument panel and an off-road camera nestled in the front grille.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4’s standard infotainment system included a 10-inch touchscreen (with a 12-inch screen optional) with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 5.3-inch display screen served as the instrument cluster, and haptic touchpads replaced nearly all switchgear. While the setup looked modern, it was difficult to use due to the lack of tactile feedback. The ID.4 also featured a natural-language voice-control system and ID.Light, a light strip at the base of the windshield for visual cues.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered optional modern driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring. However, lane-departure warning was not available. The Wrangler included a backup camera with dynamic guidelines and a live tire-pressure monitoring system, useful for off-roading.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and a five-star rating from the NHTSA for the RWD model. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, park distance control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. New for 2021 were Travel Assist, which added automated lane centering, and Emergency Assist, designed to stop the car if the driver was incapacitated.